Guest Post: Emotional Intelligence: What Is It, Really? And, Why All the “Buzz” About It?

Guest Post: Emotional Intelligence: What Is It, Really? And, Why All the “Buzz” About It?

Emotional Intelligence is
a relatively new field of scientific study. While the term “Emotional
Intelligence” was first seen in the mid- to late- 1960s, And, serious
scientific and scholarly research of Emotional Intelligence (EI or EQ) was only
seriously began at about 1989. With EI being such a relatively new concept, it
is not a real surprise that EI is not well understood, at least by the general
public. In fact, there are a number of scholars and scientists who are not
fully convinced that EI is real. This disbelief is despite the studies which
show that EI does exist and that EI does provide benefits.

(Interestingly, in 1983 – before serious studies of EI began – the Theory of Multiple Intelligences was developed. This theory postulates that there are multiple different types of intelligences. And, each type of intelligence can imbue an individual with above average abilities in different areas.)

So, what, you may ask, are the benefits that Emotional Intelligence provides?

This is an important and
valid question. Let’s begin by listing, in broad general terms, the four
attributes of Emotionally Intelligent people:

Self-awareness

Self-control

Social skills

Social awareness

Consider these four
attributes of people with high EI.

The first two are
inwardly-directed. The high EI person is aware of their own moods and emotions.
They are in control of their own moods and emotions. Consider a person lacking
in these two areas. They likely do not recognize their own moods, their own
emotional state. Recognition is the first step in having control over one-self.
Without this, the person is apt to quickly descend into a negative state. Think
of a person that seems to be quick to anger and who can go into an anger
induced rant, for little reason.

The second two are
outwardly directed. The high EI person has good social skills and is aware of
others, their moods, their emotions. Often, the high EI person is able to
emphasize with other’s problems and offer “a shoulder to cry on” without
passing judgement. They are able to offer “words of wisdom”. Consider the
person lacking these EI traits. They are unaware of others. They have no
concepts, or concern, of how others feel. Of how their own actions might
negatively impact others.

Consider the attributes
of the high EI vs the lack of these attributes in a low EI. The high EI person
tends to attract others to them. The low EI person tends to drive people away
from them.

Would you rather be a
high EI or a low EI? Would you rather work with, or for, a high EI or a low EI?

Based just on this brief
“high level” description of high EI and low EI, we can begin to see a very few
of the benefits of being high EI.

The EI person is more
aware of themselves and “in control” then the non-EI person. The high EI person
is likely happier and more “likeable” then the non-EI person.

The high EI person is
also more aware of others and what they are feeling. The EI person likely
attracts others to themselves.

Is it possible that the
high EI person, due to these factors, may be more successful in business, and
in life, then the non EI person?

We will look at these, and others, aspects of Emotional Intelligence at our presentation at PatchWork Collective on March 11, 2019, beginning at 6:00 pm. Participants are invited to bring a brown-bag dinner. This interactive presentation; Emotional Intelligence: The misunderstood factor for success, will be facilitated by Dr. Michael L Schwartz, PMP, PE. Register for this free event through our Community Member Portal.

Dr. Michael L Schwartz, PMP, PE is a professional trainer and coach. He has a Doctorate in Business Administration from Lawrence Technical University and is a registered Professional Engineer and certified Project Management Professional, with experience in automotive, defense, materials, food service, and insurance industries. He has also taught professional development at the college level. Additional information about Michael may be found at: www.positiveconcepts.biz